[waivethefive]

I noticed that the reverser is locked whenever there is a significant amount of train movement. Is that a real world feature? How would the control stand ever know when wheels were turning due to gravity to provide such a locking feature on the reverser? I also have read an ICC accident report or two involving runaway trains on a grade, where mention was made of the engineer throwing the reverser in some failed hap-hazard attempt to slow the runaway down. Is this locking reverser "feature" of open rails simply another train simming user discipline thing like that anti-crash code? The reason I ask is I have some souped up engines that move faster than any phototypes would that I often use to inspect new routes with, and when I need to stop on a dime to inspect some asset features, I often throw the reverser to achieve a quicker stop. I find myself unable to do that anymore.

In addition, how does one default the #2 camera to the middle of the loco like it does with MSTS and get the camera focus off the front coupler? Also, how does one move the camera through all cars in the train to inspect every car, similar to the (CTRL) Arrow feature common in MSTS?

[vince]

I'm not sure of real world operation but as an engineer (electrical) it seems throwing a reverser when in motion would be a good way to destroy the electrical components of the engines system.
You want the camera to function "like it does with MSTS"? Thankfully, it does not!
The camera controls are a bit different, much improved in my opinion so you're going to have to get used to the differences.
On moving the camera view through the cars this is done with the ALT+PgUp or ALT+PgDn keys.
There are other differences but a bit of study in the Manual will help
regards,
vince

edit add info: In the Sim, press the F1 key for HELP.

[ATW]

Arrows an mouse help camera movements far better than MSTS an takes to getting use to that when I run MSTS moving camera I forget how cameras work an like ORTS far better. I just use MSTS for testing purposes an on the ground crash testing such as buffer forces, train makeup an so on.

[markus_GE]

There´s currently, AFAICT, no way to focus the front camera on anything else than the front coupler of the loco / car currently viewed. Similar for the rear camera, except it´s always focused on the rear coupler.

In-game, press F1 to view a listing of which keystroke does what.

Cheers, Markus

[vince]

 ATW, on 18 December 2014 - 11:28 AM, said:

...........snip..........................I just use MSTS for testing purposes an on the ground crash testing such as buffer forces, train makeup an so on.

Help me out here; What is "...........on the ground crash testing.............."?

thanx,
vince

[ATW]

It's pretty obvious something MSTS an Railworks can do that ORTS can't do even with on/off options.

[gpz]

Specifically?

[cuontv]

"I noticed that the reverser is locked whenever there is a significant amount of train movement. Is that a real world feature? How would the control stand ever know when wheels were turning due to gravity to provide such a locking feature on the reverser? I also have read an ICC accident report or two involving runaway trains on a grade, where mention was made of the engineer throwing the reverser in some failed hap-hazard attempt to slow the runaway down. Is this locking reverser "feature" of open rails simply another train simming user discipline thing like that anti-crash code?"

I have wondered about this condition too and seem to recall it was not present on much earlier versions of OR, however I may be mistaken. Though my operating experience on the prototype only extends to diesel locomotives built up to the 1990's on North American models, is this a feature present on non-US locos? During my operating days it was allowable, taught and even defined in the rule book about how to use reverser braking as an emergency technique in a last-ditch attempt to get stopped. As you would think, this created tremendous stresses and you could really tear things up if you weren't careful. On the Burlington Northern we were taught to move the throttle to idle, activate the sanders, reverse the reverser and advance the throttle to notch one. Any readers of the US-based TRAINS Magazine may recall columnist Roy Blanchard's story a few years ago of a time this method saved him from a runaway while he was shunting loaded tank cars at a refinery on a grade. I was also taught to use this method on steam locomotives, which OR does allow, but on the real thing you had to be careful to not be too overzealous with the throttle since too much reverse reciprocating motion would bounce you off the rails.

If anyone might doubt this unconventional operational method would be officially sanctioned I've included the directive from a SP rule book.

-Tom

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[railguy]

Putting the reverser lever in reverse on a forward-moving train was an absolute last-ditch attempt to stop an out-of-control train. The reasons should be obvious. First, reversing the locomotives could cause severe "run-in" of the slack in the train behind the locomotive, potentially causing a derailment.
Second, typically, too, "plugging the reverser," as it was known in railroad slang, would often cause the locomotive wheels to lock up, which would quickly flatten them. I don't think that it would be reasonable to enable plugging the reverser in OR, unless all of the attendant damages and consequences could also be simulated.

Emergency brake applications can also potentially raise all kinds of heck in a train--flattened wheels, derailments (especially on curves or downgrades), etc. Like plugging the reverser, an emergency brake application should only be made when no other less drastic alternative is available to stop the train.

Either of the drastic methods of stopping a train listed here can cause many thousands of dollars of damage to equipment, not to mention damages to cargo. A Conductor told me one time a few years back that a full emergency brake application on a loaded 100-car train could potentially cause $50K or more of damage because of flattened wheels alone.

[Mike B]

Flat-wheel specials are also common on older streetcars (especially PCCs) and light rail cars. Newer ones that are mostly computerized seem to have anti-slip built into the braking action so absent emergency braking (or even, sometimes, with it it seems) the wheels keep turning, mostly. Older ones that have stopped too fast a few times are pretty obvious coming into a station, and one hopes that all the thumps don't get into sync and start things bouncing. :)

The transit agency has a wheel lathe, but it's normally booked up with regular truing and contouring work so squeezing in a car full of flats will mess up a lot of work schedules. Hence, unless it's really bad, it keeps running for a while. Public transit passengers are mostly cattle anyway ...